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TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the state finance law, in relation to providing grants to rebuild storefronts damaged by Hurricane Sandy

PURPOSE:

To provide a grant of $10,000 to a small business which has a storefront in order to rehabilitate the facade of the building.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

To provide a state grant of $10,000 to a small business that was damaged by storms, rains or floods which occurred during the period beginning on October 29, 2012 and ending November 3, 2012. A small business is defined as any business located within this area, independently owned and operated, and employs 50 or less individuals. The grant could only be used to rehabilitate, repair or replace a storefront of a business that existed prior to October 29, 2012, and the business owner must provide proof that the storefront is severely damaged and that the damage was sustained by Hurricane Sandy.

JUSTIFICATION:

Hurricane Sandy was a powerful superstorm that struck New York and several neighboring states on October 29, 2012. In Queens, New York, specifically in the Rockaway section, extensive destruction occurred to many small businesses which has devastated the local economy of the community. A grant of $10,000 would provide an opportunity for a small business owner to rehabilitate and / or display new signage on their storefront as a way to beautify the business and to send a message to the community that they are back in business during this economic crisis.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2013: S. 4053 - Referred to Finance.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

$10,000.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

Immediately.

Text

STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4053--A
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 6, 2013
___________

Introduced by Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance -- recommitted to
the Committee on Finance in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 --
committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the state finance law, in relation to providing grants
to rebuild storefronts damaged by Hurricane Sandy
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Definitions. For the purposes of this act, the following
terms shall have the following meanings:
1. "Severely damaged storefront" shall mean a storefront of a property
which was damaged as a result of Hurricane Sandy and the costs of
repairs to rebuild such storefront total ten thousand dollars or more.
2. "Hurricane Sandy" shall mean the storms, rains, or floods which
occurred during the period beginning on October 29, 2012 and ending
November 3, 2012.
3. "Small business" shall mean any business which is located within
this state, independently owned and operated, and employs fifty or fewer
individuals.
S 2. Storefront repair program. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision
of law, an owner of a small business who, as a result of Hurricane
Sandy, sustained a severely damaged storefront shall be eligible for a
grant of ten thousand dollars to repair, rehabilitate, or replace such
storefront.
2. Application by a small business owner for a grant pursuant to
subdivision one of this section shall be made to the division of home-
land security and emergency services in a manner and form to be deter-
mined by such division. Such application shall include, but not be
limited to:
a. proof that the business operated by the owner is a small business;

EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09341-02-4

S. 4053--A 2

b. proof that the business was operated prior to Hurricane Sandy;
c. proof that the damage sustained to the storefront was caused by
Hurricane Sandy;
d. proof that the storefront is a severely damaged storefront; and
e. any other information that such division deems relevant.
3. Application for a grant authorized by this act shall be made on or
before July 1, 2015.
S 3. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 99-v to
read as follows:
S 99-V. HURRICANE SANDY STOREFRONT REPAIR FUND. 1. THERE IS HEREBY
ESTABLISHED IN THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE COMPTROLLER AND THE COMMISSIONER
OF TAXATION AND FINANCE A SPECIAL FUND TO BE KNOWN AS THE "HURRICANE
SANDY STOREFRONT REPAIR FUND".
2. THE SOURCE OF FUNDS SHALL CONSIST OF ALL MONEYS COLLECTED THEREFOR,
OR MONEYS CREDITED, APPROPRIATED OR TRANSFERRED THERETO FROM ANY OTHER
FUND OR SOURCE PURSUANT TO LAW, OR ANY OTHER MONEYS MADE AVAILABLE FOR
THE PURPOSES OF THE FUND. ANY INTEREST RECEIVED BY THE COMPTROLLER ON
MONEYS ON DEPOSIT SHALL BE RETAINED IN AND BECOME A PART OF THE FUND,
UNLESS OTHERWISE DIRECTED BY LAW.
3. FOLLOWING APPROPRIATION BY THE LEGISLATURE, MONEYS IN THE FUND
SHALL BE AVAILABLE FOR GRANTS AUTHORIZED BY THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF
TWO THOUSAND THIRTEEN WHICH ADDED THIS SECTION TO REPAIR, REHABILITATE,
OR REPLACE ELIGIBLE STOREFRONTS DAMAGED BY HURRICANE SANDY.
4. THE MONEYS OF THE FUND SHALL BE PAID OUT ON THE AUDIT AND WARRANT
OF THE COMPTROLLER ON VOUCHERS CERTIFIED OR APPROVED BY THE DIVISION OF
HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY SERVICES.
S 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

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